An Exploratory Pilot Study on the Application of Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Computed Tomography-Based 3D Printing Technology

Jun-Yan Yue; Pei-Cheng Li; Mei-Xia Li; Qing-Wu Wu; Chang-Hua Liang; Jie Chen; Zhi-Ping Zhu; Pei-Heng Li; Wen-Guang Dou; Jian-Bo Gao

doi:10.1007/s10278-024-01081-2

An Exploratory Pilot Study on the Application of Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Computed Tomography-Based 3D Printing Technology

J Imaging Inform Med. 2024 Mar 15. doi: 10.1007/s10278-024-01081-2. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jun-Yan Yue^{1

2

3

4}, Pei-Cheng Li⁵, Mei-Xia Li², Qing-Wu Wu², Chang-Hua Liang², Jie Chen², Zhi-Ping Zhu², Pei-Heng Li², Wen-Guang Dou², Jian-Bo Gao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Erqi District, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China.
² Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, 453100, Henan, China.
³ Heart Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, 453100, Henan, China.
⁴ Medical Imaging School of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, 453100, Henan, China.
⁵ Electrophysiology Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui, 453100, Henan, China.
⁶ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Erqi District, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China. gaojianbo3762@163.com.

PMID: 38491235
DOI: 10.1007/s10278-024-01081-2

Abstract

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation (AF). Additionally, the utilization of 3D printing for cardiac models offers an in-depth insight into cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to evaluate the clinical utility and outcomes of RFA following in vitro visualization of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV) structures via 3D printing (3DP). Between November 2017 and April 2021, patients who underwent RFA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University were consecutively enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: the 3DP group and the control group, in a 1:1 ratio. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was employed to capture the morphology and diameter of the LA and PV, which facilitated the construction of a 3D entity model. Additionally, surgical procedures were simulated using the 3D model. Parameters such as the duration of the procedure, complications, and rates of RFA recurrence were meticulously documented. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test or Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the differences between the groups, with a P-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. In this study, a total of 122 patients were included, with 53 allocated to the 3DP group and 69 to the control group. The analysis of the morphological measurements of the LA and PV taken from the workstation or direct entity measurement showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, patients in the 3DP group experienced significantly shorter RFA times (97.03 ± 28.39 compared to 120.51 ± 44.76 min, t = 3.05, P = 0.003), reduced duration of radiation exposure (2.55 [interquartile range 2.01, 3.24] versus 3.20 [2.28, 3.91] min, Z = 3.23, P < 0.001), and shorter modeling times (7.68 ± 1.03 compared to 8.89 ± 1.45 min, t = 5.38, P < 0.001). 3DP technology has the potential to enhance standard RFA practices by reducing the time required for intraoperative interventions and exposure to radiation.

Keywords: 3D printing technology; Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac model; Left atrium; Radiofrequency ablation.

Abstract

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